Evidence of 100,000 years of human settlements have been found in this part of India. Stone tools, pottery and an array of jewelry have been unearthed around Bhimbetka. These items are now in local museums, but what is still on site are thousands of paintings in cave shelters. Many of the paintings have been carbon dated to 10,000 BC while others are about 5,000 years old. Human and animal figures dominate the mostly white and red coloured paintings, but there are also plants and a few mandala like constructions.

800 cave shelters with paintings have been found in Bhimbetka. We visited 15 cave shelters that have been made accessible to visitors. We were also very fortunate to be taken on a jeep safari by Mr. Nagar, the Chief of Forestry for Bhimbetka, to view several other caves rarely seen by visitors. The forest is a beautiful stand of Sal and Teak trees, with an 9 month dry season but nevertheless free of forest fires for six years under the protection of Mr. Nagar. We were taken to some very high cliffs and painted cave shelters there, the cave paintings echoing a human voice from the distant past... unforgettable.

Art is already a very sophisticated activity, but when combined with worship, ritual, initiation and a shamanic inner vision, as it appears to be in Bhimbetka, then we have a very great mystery before us. Try to imagine the incredibly rich inner lives of the artists/shamans as you look at the pictures.